This thread has been recycled to be used for Mickey D's builds in progress finished builds will go into the Mickey D's finished builds thread.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1500715

Going to enjoy this one - I love planes on floats, and somehow the T craft jusrt looks "right"

Al

Hi Al,

I feel bad for not starting with my initial intention, it was a spur of the moment decision, and I’m just happy to be building and hope to regain a rhythm.

The pictures are described as follows:

#1 the wing ribs have been made differently to the plan as well as both spars the frontal spar has been shortened and the middle one is a T-beam

#2 the wing tip is made in 3 pieces of soft balsa the rest of the wing is soft to medium wood.

#3 showing the underside of the wing tip

#4 the horizontal stabilizer is made structurally different to the plan, which improves torsion rigidity and reduced weight.

Next step is the fuselage which is usually the first procedure I go by.

That wings looks really light - and I love the ribs. Do you pre-curve them, or do you just bend them when you put them on? I see potential here - how do you think it would work on 800mm span? Lovely building

Al

Thanks Al,

I believe the plan is good up to about 950mm, it is intended for rubber power but I think it will handle with electric at about 800mm, any bigger and you might have to reinforce it. I have gone smaller than the original; in this case I’ve chucked unnecessary parts out and modified it to be a bit more scale.

The wing ribs were indeed pre-curved.

The pictures are described as follows:

The first picture is of the T-craft that I am building, notice the concave in the fuselage the plan does not have this which I corrected

#3 shows the modification to the bottom half of the cowl; it will have sheet wood instead of a carved block.

#4 another shot of the replacement former

#5 the instrument panel is painted black as well as the inner window frames.

#6 I replaced the rear motor peg with a music wire hook that has been covered with thin electric cable jacket, to protect the rubber motor from the thin wire. Reason for this: because the man carrying T-craft does not have a pole sticking out of the sides.







Next step is the rest of the nose cowl and the nose block.

Mike

Hi Mike:

How do you build so beautifully? . I wish I could be so delicate, but I would break the plane each time I touched it. That was the problem with my 33" (838mm) Nieuport - squeeze - crack.

Are you going to use a rubber or electric motor? Here in the states I read an article that most modelers who fly the scale of your Taylorcraft use the motors from their park zone vapors or even the Wild Hog airplanes. Do you fashion your own motor?

Sean

Hi Sean, Many thanks for your kind words!

I think I know why you can’t build small models, it’s because you know how well your large models fly in comparison to the smaller ones, therefore you subconsciously decide the outcome and the consequent result is a chain reaction of mistakes e.g. you loose interest- start to rush-crack a few stringers here and there, nonetheless it is my past experience perhaps you can relate to this as well!?

As far as power plant I am still learning the electric part from you and Al, no seriously! I need to be sure I am capable of building a proper RC model before I start buying expensive gear I have an old transmitter, receiver and Li-Po cell for this model but no motor or “acts” in this case I will settle with good ole rubber power.

I will post some more progress pictures shortly.

Mike

Mickey - people make the whole thing more complicated than is has to be in my opinion. You will find rc planes really really easy, because you already build fantastically well, and you are used to building small stuff.Also, you free flight guys have forgotten more about trimming than the rest of us will ever know. The problem comes with scale planes with scale size props and things. For old timers you need so little vooma almost anything will work - they were anyway mostly free flight planes

Probably 70% of my previous models have used the same three motors and batteries. One of the motors and esc has burned out, but that was my fault - and it had worked beautifully for 2 or 3 years!

Hi Mike

You are probably right. I think I have convinced myself that I am eternal klutz and planes that delicate and me do not mix. To build that delicate requires patience and care; two characteristics I think I am weak on. My father, may he rest in peace, who modeled for over 40 years could sit there for days and study a plans - every nook and crany and have every part would be worked out before he would even put them on the building board.

There is nothing wrong with rubber. I used to build my Guillows to fly with rubber, sometimes successful and sometimes not. I still have a Guillows hellcat waiting to be finished for Rc flight. Maybe your Taylorcraft will give me incentive.

Sean

Hi guys

Sean,
I don’t think you are a klutz at all!
we all have our weak points, I try to work on the things that are important, my old strong points sometimes become my new weakpoints, as I am always trying to improve my work while still having fun, My two cents.

The last attempt I made with RC was a 600mm Schweizer TG2, which I lost signal on the maiden launch, all my hard work and money turned into a tissue filled sack of wood. Although small free flight models are my passion and have been for many years I would like to step out of my comfort zone and try once again.

I went back to your blog today to see your Guillows F6F hellcat it was an interesting read, and I can’t comprehend why you have not continued with this great plane, I don’t see any fault with it.

Was that enormous Fokker tri-plane (if I’m correct) built by your father? I have no words for its beauty! And I would love to see more pictures if you have?

Al- that is what I admire about you and Sean there is no Bully in all the posts I have read. I enjoy what you have to say even though we build different size models with different power plants, we all do the same thing build and fly airplanes all my favorites ones too!

The pictures are described as follows:

(1, 2&3) the cowling has been covered in two pieces of sheet wood the third picture was taken outdoors.

(4) An example of the sheet wood thickness used on the cowl, it has no visible reading on an analogue type caliper.

(5&6) The modified horizontal stabilizer top and side view showing the airfoiled shape which is not included in the plan.

(7) The first pontoon under construction I have used a built up construction rather than heavy sheet keels and formers. I am considering using aluminum leaf to cover the pontoons; it is very thin and light aluminum.

Note: The dummy-engine “not clearly visible” is formed from Aluminum leaf and wet brushed with matt black enamel. The grille will be made once the model is covered and painted, more pictures of the engine will follow.







I have added a few pics that belong in this post, one of wich is a calendar in case someone thinks I have an old calendar on my door. and the missing cowl with aluminium dummy engine cylinder.
Mike

Mike - thats incredible! I assume you had to sand that sheeting from 1mm? If so, then its something I'm going to try in places on the super solution as it would add that little bit of strength without weight.

I guess it would be too heavy for you, but when building the live wire I came across pewter sheets, and the tools to work it. The tools are basically round metal balls on sticks, and a thing called a paper pencil (which is a thing that looks like a pencil made of compressed paper). The nice thing is that with enough patience you can make vents and things really easily - and they look like worked metal because thats exactly what they are. It does get a bit fragile though. Just thinking it could help with a short nose scale plane?

Your little plane is looking fantastic! Will you carve your own prop? And with rubber power would it be possible to use a scale size prop?

Al

Thanks Al, it is from sanded from 1mm using 150 grit in a sanding block it this requires a fair amount of patients to get this thin, but it is well worth it! I don’t have a gram scale but would compare its weight to medium tissue or gift wrap paper.

I have seen those pewter tools before but would have never considered its use in a model, great Idea!!! Especially with a model such as the Sopwith Camel, I like working with aluminum leaf as well it is also very brittle but gives realistic scale look malleability is descent. here is a picture of the aluminium I use the model was intended for micro Rc but never finished.


I am considering a built up prop made in a similar fashion as the wing except with solid ribs If so I will carve a solid prop as well if nose ballast is required, for this model I want to use a prop half way between scale and model size.
Please excuse my grammar.

Cheers
Mike

Hi Guys.

Wow. How small is small. . Mike it is really looking great.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I too believe that if there is something you do not excel at do not shy away from it - meet the challenge head on and see if you can overcome the challenge. By nature I am a heavy handed person thus I do shy away from working with smaller items. I want to go back to the Hellcat (thanks for the push), but it was two things. First I was having a problem rigging the ailerons. I wanted to use very thin cable but it was not helping. The second was personal. I met a fella on RCG who liked converting Guillows to RC. he lived close so we got together to fly together. But when he saw that my passion was not Guillows only (like his) he never replied to an email or phone call so I just shelved the Hellcat for a later time.

I must admit since meeting you guys I have been practically on my own in the hobby with no one to share with. But you said it best - we are in this hobby together. You like FF, Al likes medium park flyers, and Iike scale flyers. Nevertheless we respect each other and do not bore with each other because we don't particularly care for something. Takes a lot of maturity to enter a relationship for the other person. Al has been that way since we met and so have you. Thanks to you both.

You know for cowls I really like this 1/32 (.8mm) plywood I found at the arts and crafts store. It is very pliable and very strong. I plan on using it for the Solution's cowl.

I can offer to get wood here locally if I thought you guys would save on postage. Let me know and we can work out the particulars. I think companies make their money on padding the postage.

Here are some more photos of Dad's planes:

DR1 before covering



DR1 after covering



Dad's SE5 (from threeseabees.com)



I unfortunately had to sell this one.

My Tommy when I first got back into the hobby 5 years ago.



I also have my father's Sopwith Triplane, Curtiss P6E, and Fokker DVII. They are all gas and unfortunately I haven't the time to devote to them now. Maybe as my kids get older.

Sean

Hi Sean,

Many thanks for your most thoughtful reply.

I must admit since meeting you guys I have been practically on my own in the hobby with no one to share with. But you said it best - we are in this hobby together. You like FF, Al likes medium park flyers, and Iike scale flyers. Nevertheless we respect each other and do not bore with each other because we don't particularly care for something. Takes a lot of maturity to enter a relationship for the other person. Al has been that way since we met and so have you. Thanks to you both.

I feel exactly the same. I never expected to meet such great guys, reading your messages are inspirational and make my hobby experience far more enjoyable. I look forward to many builds in the future!

Thanks for sharing your pictures they are great, especially the DR1 I can appreciate such craftsmanship, it is so inspiring.

I have never built a kit model before, however I have read many topics on Guillows models including RC conversions, I hear that the wood is rather heavy for free flight use hence the conversion, I look forward to your build in particular even if it’s slowly but surely you have my support!

It would be great if you could help with the postage, I must discuss this with Al I’m sure we could make a huge saving and of course you will get a share of the wood. Thanks for the generous offer!!!

Mike

Hi Mike.

Thanks for the support. I guess a lot of things in life require personal drive and support from others. Once I get this Solution together I will try to finish the Hellcat. I also have a P-47 in the box as well as well as an AerodromeRC Sopwith Pup 40" (1000mm)

How is the Taylor coming?

Al and Mike. Can I get the pewter items here in the States. What do I search for?

Sean